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What Equipment Do I Need For Yoga?

I’m super new to yoga and I’m wondering if I should get myself some yoga equipment. If so, what do I need and why? Leon P.

The Answer

Hey there, Leon! Ahh, the wonderful world of yoga props. There are so many of them, and they can serve a really great purpose, so let me give you a low down of typical yoga equipment. It’s really important to keep in mind that using props does NOT mean you’re weak, or inflexible, or that you’re “cheating.” In fact, using props can make you a more aware yogi. Knowing how and when to use equipment is super beneficial to the development of your practice.

Yoga Mat: I think the most obvious yoga prop is the mat. Yes, yoga is possible without a mat, but the stickiness and extra padding is often very convenient.

Yoga Block.: Blocks are essentially used to bring the floor closer to you. You can sit on them, use them as support in reclined backbends, or reach for them in standing balancing poses.

Yoga Blanket: Obviously, blankets can be used for extra padding and support for the knees and sit bones. I love sitting on blankets when I’m meditating, especially because it helps to make the spine more erect.

Strap: Straps are best used to make the arms longer. When you’re trying to reach your toes in a seated forward fold and it seems too far away, use a strap to lasso your feet to get some extra traction and stretch.

Additional Tips

More often than not, studios will provide all of the equipment you’d need for any given class. Before purchasing your own (why not save some money?), check with your local and favorite studios to see which props they determine to be communal!

But ultimately, in most cases, the only prop you really need is your own body. That’s the beauty about yoga. It can be done anytime, anywhere. So if you don’t have equipment that you need, be flexible, and modify, modify, modify!

Kaitlin Daddona

Kaitlin Daddona is a student and member of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Boston University, and will commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force upon her graduation in 2014. The strength, structure, openness, fluidity, and grace of movement in her classes represent the complimentary nature of her call to duty and call to practice.
Kaitlin completed a 200 hour teacher training at Back Bay Yoga in Boston and a 200 hour Forrest Yoga training with the creatrix of the practice, Ana Forrest. Her physical training as a part of the Air Force combined with the muscular intelligence and fluidity of movement inherent in yoga allows for Kaitlin to teach intelligent and intense strength building alongside authentic connection to body, mind, and spirit. She is passionate about offering yoga as a healing practice, especially for military members as well as for those battling eating disorders, as a return to self love because of her own experiences. View Kaitlin's profile »